Seen in Newcastle, NSW…

Catherine and I were out and about today…

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There is so much to see in Newcastle! I don’t know who added the scarf to the statue, but it was a very nice touch.

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It’s fun to see fall leaves again…

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…and the shadows of bare branches against the walls.

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We saw some wonderful street art…

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I have never thought of a bullet hole in glass as being anything other than scary, but this one, patched with clear tape, caught my eye. I like the look of it, even though no one wants to see more of these, anywhere.

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Reflections in the water… ever changing, always engaging. It’s hard to stop watching!

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Traveling to the other side of the globe…

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Yes, it takes a while to fly from Texas to Australia, but that’s OK. I did pay more to have extra seat room and footrest on the 15-hour flight and Tylenol PM helped me sleep. I landed at 7AM, dazed but in pretty good shape.

The train trip from the airport in Sydney to Newcastle, where Catherine and Andrew live, was quite nice. I sat across from a dad and his daughter who were quietly entertaining for most of the 3 hour ride. Mostly I was reminded of how hard it can be to keep a youngster occupied for this sort of trip. He did a fantastic job, mostly talking to her and rarely looking at his phone. I was impressed!

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Catherine and I went walking yesterday… she and Andrew live in Newcastle near shops and restaurants, and very close to the water.

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It is so very different from my land-locked home in Sherman, TX. It’s going to be loads of fun seeing more of this part of Australia with my friend!

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Storm King Art Center

On Friday, after Thanksgiving, we went on a road trip to the Storm King Art Center. It is an hour’s drive from the city. Jeff drove, and Steve and I enjoyed looking out the windows :-).

The 500-acre grounds are perfectly designed to house large-scale modern sculpture. We spent hours walking the site and enjoying a perfect day.

The trees and grasses are perfect accents to the sculpture. And sometimes people are the perfect accent!

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The mirrored picket fence was unassuming from a distance but great fun up close, and low.

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My favorite was Andy Goldsworthy’s Wall, behind us, below.

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We flew home yesterday. And even though it is always good to be home, we both miss the kid. Luckily, we have been invited to return next Thanksgiving!

2 days walking NYC…

Central Park…

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Views from the High Line…

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The globe at Columbus Circle, seen from below coming up the stairs from the subway…

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A mosaic wall near Chelsea Market…

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Our view from the Hilton Garden Inn…

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When I got back to the hotel and started putting my stuff on the bed, I realized that I am very monochromatic this trip. Good thing I have a bright green jacket :-).

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Tuesday, in NYC…

The Wednesday Giveaway will return next week. Right now Steve and I are in NYC, visiting the kids. We are already having a great time!

I’ve been posting pictures to instagram and facebook. I’ll post more, in between enjoying the kids and living in the moment.

I hope that each of you is having a good week. I know that some people are stressed at the holidays. My wish  is that you can let go of the angst and embrace the moment. People are who they are and you really can’t change them. The only person you can control is you. It’s taken me 61 years to grasp that. Wish I had done it sooner but there you go.

Happy Thanks giving!

Side note: I lost my glasses last night. I took them off, hooked them on my scarf while I took a picture, and forgot about them. I realized blocks later, at the hotel, that they were not there. Damn. I am thankful for FedEx, who will deliver my backup pair from home in the morning. That was faster and cheaper than having a new pair made here.

First, the pie mishap. Then the glasses. I stubbed my toe a while ago! I’m hoping my 3 bad things are over now :-).

Join me at the Grand Hotel!

Maybe I’m biased, but I think that the teacher roster looks great! I’ll share more information later in September but for now — save the date!

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